McAfee thinks that I need a shortcut on my desktop for quick access to it’s internet security software.

I disagree because I:

can easily find McAfee with one-click from the desktop from a system tray icon- the desktop shortcut is redundant

NEVER need one-click quick access to McAfee – when it isn’t already open

keep a clean desktop – it has no shortcuts or documents on it. I find this aesthetically pleasing and it doesn’t interfere with what I’m actually doing

But McAfee is not content to simply disagree with me, it proactively bullies me! – everytime I delete the desktop shortcut – it REPLACES it!!!!! This is worse than merely ignoring my request – this is reversing my request, ignoring me with knobs on!

Luckily, I’m prepared to spend time playing around in software settings, so I set off to find the “Don’t automatically place a shortcut cut on the desktop” setting in the main program. Guess what? There isn’t one!!!!!! It take a lot longer to find out that something doesn’t exist, then to find that it does, because it requires a complete, exhaustive, search. That makes me 700 exclaimation marks ANGRY!!!!!!!

Maybe I can suggest to McAfee that they change this poor user experience, or maybe they can tell me how to remove the pesky, unnecessary, irritating, shortcut. A trip to the McAfee website might help. What do you think?

I had to install “Citrix Gotoassist” before I could chat to my “representative”. If this software is an integral part of the McAfee service then it should be pre-installed with the application and available from within the application. This would reduce the number of technical hoops that the wendy has to jump through when she needs support. It would also reduce the time taken to get first-time support.

My representative told me that the design team are working on an improvement that will be included in the next automatic update. Excellent.

If McAfee had employed user experience experts to review their software they would never have made such a basic software design error in the first place.

My security software should be inobtrusive, it should be there and accessible. It should not be bullying me and requiring me to install extra components before answering my support questions. Generally a very poor show by McAfee

The potentially fraudulent phone calls were fascinating, I was trying to keep them on the line to find out about them without revealing much about myself or my computer. It was tough. They quickly became irritated by my questions and in all 3 calls they got angry and hung up on me.

The calls went something like this:

Potential Fraudster: Hello, I’m from 24/7 PC care and I’m calling you because we’ve noticed that your computer has an infection

wendy: how did you find that out?

Potential Fraudster: Because you are a windows registered user

wendy: Oh, you have my registration details, so you know which version of Windows I’m using?

IT Professional: yeah sure, it can be like getting toothpaste back into the tube

The IT professionals here have a wonderfully colourful way of describing the technology in non-technical terms. Especially colourful if they have scottish accents which, strangely, most of them seem to have.

In order to get the benefit of online services I have to maintain, over 30 different usernames including cash cards, and regularly renew the associated 30 passwords or PINs. This amazing feat would challenge the most well-practiced mnemonics experts.

When I relocated to the UK I took-on 3 new cash-cards. The good news is that I managed to memorize the 3 seemingly random card PIN numbers. The bad news is that I forgot to memorize which number went with which card. Luckily this enabled me to cycle through 2 mistakes before getting the right PIN, gradually Iâ€™ve learned the card-PIN relationship.

the bar staff, 2nd yr University of Limerick student, sold me Smithwicks beer and told stories about how Limerick is known amongst the Irish as ‘Stab city’ illustrated with details of deaths amongst the people he’d met at a local the Boxing gym.

The stone buildings are grey suggesting a gloominess to match the mood of the weather